Geography & Life— Japan By Mr. Magnuson As is known, geography can have a great influence on the way of people’s life, the way people think and the way they behave. This lesson is to give the students an idea how to understand and appreciate a different culture from the angle of geography by introducing Japan. As a result, the students can see and communicate with the people from a different culture in a more interactive and positive way. By Mr. Magnuson

Nippon -- “Land of the Rising Sun”

Japan Facts It is roughly the size of California Population of 126,804,433 No. 10 Globally Life expectancy 82.7 Religions: Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8% A parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy. This means Emperor is the head of the country, but must follow a constitution created for the people. Emperor Akihito. Prime Minister Prime Minister Naoto Kan

Capital City: Tokyo It contains about 10% of Japan's total population. In 2005 Tokyo experienced 85 earthquakes >1 on the Richter scale

Tokyo Tokyo's flower: Somei Yoshino (Yoshino cherry blossom) Tokyo's tree: Gingko Tokyo's bird: Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Tokyo Tower is 20th largest building in the World

Tokyo…City of neon lights

Point 1: Cooperation and good manners

Japan and the United States ---1/25 Japan Terrain Area (small) *377,887 square kilometers(145,902 square miles) with¾ mountains. *The mountains were difficult to live on.*Most people lived on flat coastal plains near the sea. So many people are sharing such limited space that Japanese people will have to be cooperative and be nice to each other. Area (small) Population (high density): 127,288,419 (2008 est) 377,887 square kilometers (145,902 square miles)

Point2: seafood

Japanese Whaling The Japanese kill about 1,000 Whales per year Because of their heritage, eating seafood is a big part of Japanese Culture

Is there a global impact?

The map of Japan-- Isolated Japan is a large group of islands located off the Asian mainland-it was difficult for other countries to visit it until its rulers decided to visit others-it was difficult for the food outside to be imported.

Bodies of Water Abundant seafood Ishikari R. Sea of Japan Surrounded all by water Shinano R. Tone R. Korean Straits All surrounded by waters, the seafood is abundant to the Japanese people and the most easiest to get. Abundant seafood Pacific Ocean Inland Sea

Mountains & Peaks Islands Kitani Mts. Hokkaido Kitakami Mts. Honshu Mikuni Mts. Chugoku Mts. The islands of Japan are really the tops of mountains. ¾ of Japan is mountains, which is not easy to live or grow crops. Mt. Fuji Kyushu Mts. Shikuku Kyushu Okinawa

Plains Ishikari Plain Kanto Plain Nobi Plain Osaka Plain The majority of the country live in this minority area. This is also the main agricultural area. Nobi Plain Osaka Plain

The final map Russia Kitani Mts. Ishikari R. China Hokkaido N. Korea Ishikari Plain Sea of Japan Kitakami Mts. Honshu S. Korea Shinano R. Kanto Plain Tone R. Kyoto Mikuni Mts. Korean Straits Tokyo Chugoku Mts. Yokohama Conclusion: The waters and the lack of the farmland lead to the seafood to be the most popular dishes in Japan. Hiroshima Mt. Fuji Kyushu Mts. Pacific Ocean Shikuku Nobi Plain Osaka Plain Nagasaki Inland Sea Kyushu Okinawa

Point3: Wooden Pagoda

The Wooden Pagoda Because of their wood construction, Japan's pagodas have always been extremely vulnerable to fire. These tall, slender towers, built of interlocking posts and beams, are so resistant to earthquakes and typhoons that Japan's long architectural history records only a very few instances of their collapsing. Some 1,300 years after it was built, the five-story pagoda of Horyuji in Nara, shows not the slightest sign of instability.

Horyuji Temple in Nara, Japan

The Forbidden City Was the home of the Emperor of Japan for several centuries

Global Tectonic Plates Japan -- On the “Fire Rim of the Pacific”

Mount Fuji Most recognizable landmark of Japan 12,340 feet high Almost perfect volcano. Last eruption was in 1707

Japanese Earthquakes: 1961-1994 Japan is mostly volcanic rock, so most of the pagodas are wood to withstand both earthquakes and island storms.

Kobe Earthquake -- January 17, 1995 7.2 Richter scale 5,500 deaths

Kobe Earthquake -- January 17, 1995

Tsunamis – Tidal Waves

Due to the location of Japan in relation to the “Ring of Fire” Japan is always on the lookout for Tsunami’s

Point4: The power of group As the national flower, Cherry blossom fully reflects the taste of the Japanese people. One tree of cherry blossom is too thin, only when the whole forest all blossom at the same time, can the beauty make sense. So the Japanese don’t value the individuals’ freedom and individual’s power so much. Instead, they think highly of the power of cooperation and the group. When the cherry blossom floats down all at the same time after the season, the wrack and ruin of the beauty of the momentary resplendence is also what the Japanese people appreciate. That is about Bushido, of which death is the kernel. For Bushido, it is the attitude to death that can test if a knight is a real one. Usually a real knight will take death as a glory, like the Japanese people enjoy the moment when the cherry blossom falls off.

Because of the layout of the country and old customs, the Japanese stress the importance of the family unit, and groups. A symbol of this as is seen in the Japanese culture are cherry blossoms.

A strong sense of Unity Point 5: Strong sense of Unity –Isolation –Natural Disasters-Volcanoes & Earthquakes –Limited farm land –Few natural resources A strong sense of Unity

Japan’s Land Area and Utilization

Natural Resources

Raw Materials

Thank you! --The end--